Thursday, January 13, 2011

Say Cheese!




  • A delicious, healthier version of your favorite comfort food.

  • ~Macaroni and Cheese

  • 1 package macaroni
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons liquid Butter Buds
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded Fat-free Cheddar cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish with Pam.
  • In a large pot of salted water, lightly boil the macaroni for about 5 minutes until half-cooked.
  • Whisk the egg and milk together in a large cup. Add Butter Buds and half of the cheese to the egg and milk. Stir well.
  • Place the lightly cooked macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour the egg and cheese liquid over the macaroni, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the remainder of cheese, and stir well. Press the mixture evenly around the baking dish.
  • Bake uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Popeye's Favorite Food Gets a Healthy Makeover



Before saying "Eww," just give this recipe a chance.  With the addition of the light cheese, the spinach gets thick and creamy without the calories and fat that whole milk or cream adds.  This creamed spinach tastes so good that you would never know that this comfort food got a healthy makeover.


~Healthy Creamed Spinach


1/4 cup liquid Butter Buds, already prepared
1/4 cup flour
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup light tri-blend shredded cheese
1 (16 oz) bag frozen spinach
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, to top


Blend Butter Buds and flour in a double boiler over low heat.  Cook until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until thickened.  Add spinach.  Cover and cook over boiling water, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.  Mix in light cheese.  Plate and top with parmesan cheese.

Monday, January 3, 2011

The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread




This crusty white bread is delicious, that's all there is to it.  Paired with a little bit of my mom's muscadine jelly, it's absolutely addictive.  It's the best thing since, well, sliced bread!


~Crusty White Bread


2 Envelopes of active dry yeast
2 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 T. salt
1 T. lemon juice
6 c. bread flour


1.  Combine yeast, warm water, and 2 t. sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer.  Let stand five minutes  Stir in eggs and next three ingredients, 3 c. flour, and remaining sugar.  Beat dough at medium speed using paddle attachment until smooth.  Gradually, beat in remaining 3 c. flour until soft dough forms.


2.  Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes), sprinkling surface with flour as needed.  Spray bowl with Pam spray and place dough in turning to grease top.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in microwave for about 1 hour.


3.  Punch dough down; turn out onto lightly-floured surface.  Divide dough into thirds.


4.  Roll each third into a rectangle.  Starting at one short end, tightly roll up each rectangle jelly-roll fashion, pressing to seal edges as you roll.  Pinch ends of dough to seal, and tuck ends under dough.  Place each roll, seam side down, in a lightly greased loaf pan.  Spray tops with Pam.  Cover and let rise in microwave for about an hour or until doubled in bulk.


5.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.  Remove from pans to wire rack and brush the tops with butter.  Let cool for an hour before slicing.